Marine animals at UNCW lab killed, mutilated

A starfish, sea urchins and fish used for educational purposes were harmed last month

By Cammie Bellamy StarNews Staff

WILMINGTON -- Campus police are investigating after several marine animals at the University of North Carolina Wilmington were mutilated and killed.

According to an incident report from the UNCW Police Department, on July 15 someone at the Center for Marine Science discovered injured and dead animals in a tank. Two pincushion sea urchins and a juvenile red drum fish were killed and a starfish had been "mutilated" with a cutting instrument, according to the report.

UNCW spokeswoman Janine Iamunno said the animals were at the center for educational, and not research as originally reported, purposes and were in an area of the facility used for public tours and student education. The crime was labeled "vandalism" in the police report because the fish were state property.

Iamunno said there were three incidents involving the marine animals. In the first incident, a starfish went missing in July, and officials don't know what happened to it. The second incident involved the red drum being transferred from one tank to another, where it was subsequently eaten by another fish. Finally, Iamunno said a starfish's arms were removed -- officials don't know how -- which resulted in an increases in ammonia in the tank. That led to the death of two sea urchins.

The incidents happened sometime between 6:30 p.m. July 14 and 2 p.m. July 15, but were reported to police two weeks later, on July 29, according to the police report. The report also states that the injured and killed animals were valued at $119 and that the incident is still under investigation.

The center, located at 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane in Myrtle Grove, houses marine science labs, an aquarium and other research facilities.

Reporter Cammie Bellamy can be reached at 910-343-2339 or Cammie.Bellamy@StarNewsOnline.com.